Since the sales on computers are starting up until the new year, I am mindful that my aging home desktop with a 21 inch screen is getting a tad slow, as in stalls temporarily, and I am tending to do more and more on it all at once.

Common things running all at once: tv show, spreadsheets, 5 internet sites, ...

My options:
1) new desktop with Intel 3rd generation i7
2) 15" laptop with 3 Gen i7
3) 17" laptop with 3rd Gen i7

I do not need a big Harddrive, do not play games on it,

I have contemplated getting a laptop which I could connect to the 21" screen but also disconnect it and take it to another room such as on the rare occassion I go to watch the big screen tv where I could multi-task. Typically when I do fire it up I am on it for a few hours in 1 stretch.

I am used to the big Microsoft keyboard and am a hunt and peck typer (2 fingers). Would I adapt back to a laptop ok? I used to have a couple laptops at a previous job a decade ago and was happy with them (15").

The 17" laptop seems a big big but has a nice size screen to see charts. I would never be carrying a laptop for more than 15 seconds (room to room) max. 15" laptop takes up less real estate. My eyesight is ok but I am not old but not a spring chicken (progressive bifocals which I forgot I have until now).

With a laptop I could have 2 screens running (the laptop and the 21").
The desktop provides more computing power for the $$$ but is stationary.
The laptop I could HDMI connect to my tv for ..... in place of using my BlackBerry Playbook now (which works good for watching tv on the big screen.... as I have no cable or satelite).

Oh what to do!?

The TV show just stopped playing while I was typing this.

Any thoughts or experiences are welcome, pros and cons.

Thanx in advance.
IKan

As far as I'm concerned, computers for consumers have more or less become commodities.

Personnaly, I prefer laptops for my own needs. I can carry them around and since I don't need that much CPU I don't really need a desktop. They offer as many options as desktop nowadays (HDMI, usb, whatnot). You could plug just about anything in the laptop that you could plug into the desktop (including the big MS keyboard). But lemme tell you that once you'll start walking around the house with the laptop, you probably won't ever jack it up to the 21 inchers, the big keyboard or anything. Personnaly I keep 3 wireless mices around the house and whenever I need one, I can just grab one. I can use the mousepads but I prefer using a mouse, and since they're cheap and they all work with the same wireless dongle, I use a real mouse when there's one around.

Also, keep in mind that even though both laptops and desktops use "3rd gen i7", they are definitely not the same chips. If you don't need much processing power (it seems to be your case), then definitely go for the laptop. The tradeoff between laptop and desktop is really one of resources (CPU power, RAM, HD, screen size) for desktop vs mobility for laptop. The thruth is that if you use them for Excel, outlook surfing the web, and watching videos (I have no cable or satellite either, I get my entertainment from the internet), then just about any computer will be powerfull enough. Most people I know buy laptops for their personnal computers and wouldn't switch back to desktop.

What I do, personnaly, is that I buy the cheapest laptop at staples or future shop (usually they are HP or samsung) and I wear them out until they literraly break apart. My last one was a nice Core2 Duo that died to a 5 storey drop from my apartment balcony. The thing costed 500$ plus taxes and lasted 4 years, traveled 11 time zones and went through 2 car crashes.

As for prices: laptops end up cheaper. Maybe not in your case because you already have a nice screen, but if you add up the price of the desktop+screen+keyboard+speakers, it's more expensive to buy a desktop than a laptop.

One last thing if you're gonna buy a laptop and walk around the house with it, the most annoying thing is carrying the power supply. What I do is I get on ebay and buy a couple extras. These things are around 100$ in a store (future shop, staples or even your local electronic retailer), but they're between 5$ and 15$ on ebay. So what I do is I buy like 3 or 4 extra and leave them where I use my laptop (one at the kitchen table, one near the TV, one in the bedroom, one the laptop bag).

Thank you for recommending this post to our Best of feature.

As far as I'm concerned, computers for consumers have more or less become commodities.

Byrne

Great post, I live in a high rise all on one floor condo and am retired so the desktop in my den with all the bells and whistles attached works for me and I don't have to search out the pieces. My wife has a similar one nearby (about 6 meters away) that also has the 23" monitor and is hooked up to the wireless in the den. We got hers on sale for a great price at Costco and they include a two year warranty. We also have a travel notepad that is getting a bit long in the tooth.

The wireless connection is also popular when my daughters visit and works very well in the guest suite on the same floor.

Costco often puts on good sales but the best prices don't get advertised unless you walk into the store and see them. They are often end of an order or some such thing. We live very close to the Halifax Costco (6-700 meters) and it is on my evening (summertime) exercise walking route.

Tim

Byrne,

Thank you very much for the feedback and thoughts. Very much appreciated.

I wondered about the battery and power supply and plugging it in....

I hate spending money on things other than my motorcycles, hahaha, but Santa may very well be bringing me a 15" or 17" laptop and an extra power supply.

Comments on 15" / 17"?

IKan (HoHoHo)

If you use it only in your house, I'd say get a 17. If you travel with it, get a 15.

You don't see that many laptop bags for 17 inchers.

Santa came early!!

17" Toshiba Satellite laptop on sale at Future Shop.
Yes I can see I may be boxing up my older 21 monitor, keyboard....

It has a near full keyboard, full number key set and a nice 1 piece mouse pad thingy.

Will get 1 or 2 wireless mouse soon.

Nice enough speakers.

IKan

IKan, tell you like it....

;)

IKan, tell you like it....

;)


LOL.

Need a seatbelt when the 3dr Gen i7 processor gets fired up.

Got a wireless mouse today. Cool.

Now to figure out this Windows 8. Getting there.

Still trying to understand Widgets on my smartphone and do I really need them?

IKan, post this via it!!! haha

Well after about 2 weeks with the new 17 inch laptop a few observations:

1) Windows 8 sucks! It locks up on shutdown after recent updates and there is no solution via updates or via the Microsoft community boards. Others have posted complaints also. I guess this is what happens when one gets the newest version early on before the bugs have ben removed. Plus I have no use for the APPS on the home page. Why do I want someone tracking my every move?????

2) Once I connected it to my 21" LCD monitor I was hooked on doing this most times. The 17" screen is very clear but small! Plus I find I am looking down and slouching at my desk to look at the laptop.

The full keyboard on the Toshiba Satellite is better for me than the old desktop keyboard.

IKan

Well it has been about 2 weeks and I am adjusting to the new 17 inch laptop screen. It is big enough for most things. I just have to zoom up to 110% - 125% often.

I use the 21 inch LCD at the same time when I use it at the desk where the monitor sits on a raised piece right at eye level behind the laptop.

Unfortunately my 5 year old Cannon scanner will not work with Windows 8 and Cannon said they will not be creating a driver for it for W8.

So W8 is a revenue generator not only for MSFT but also for peripheral companies like Canon. The circle continues. The money flow, in this case out of my pocket = negative cashflow. :(

It is said that W8 was created for touchscreen laptops. WHY??? My screen would move away from me if I pressed on it. I would have to lean forward to touch it. I like to set the laptop or screen at a distance that optically works for my eyes. I prefer the keyboard/mouse arrangement. I like the touchscreen thing for tablets/smartphones.

IKan